Music holder



Jan. 4, 1966 H. R. DEAN 3,227,414

MUSIC HOLDER Filed July 1, 1964 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR Herman R Dean BY m *JM ATTORNEYS H. R. DEAN MUSIC HOLDER Jan. 4, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1964 INVENTOR Herman R. Dean ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,227,414 MUSIC HOLDER Herman R. Dean, 12 Victor Parkway, Annapolis, Md. Filed July 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,460 20 Claims. (Cl. 248-443) The present invention relates to a music holder and more particularly to a music holder for use with a drum and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a music holder that can be detachably connected to the side of a drum such as a snare drum, a bass drum, an orchestra drum and the like. In accordance with the present invention, a novel music holder is provided for attachment to the cylindrical portion of the drum so that in effect the music holder becomes an integral part of the drum.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a music holder for a drum that can be detachably connected to the drum so as to form a permanent part thereof and which music holder can be rotated from a vertically upwardly extending position to a vertically downwardly extending position so that the drum may be covered by the conventional drum cover and the music holder may be still attached to the drum without interfering with'the fit of the drum cover onto the drum.

It is another object of the present invention to provide.

a music holder for a drum having means that permit the music holder to be moved or slid circumferentially a predetermined distance of the circumference of the drum so as to be readily adjustable to the proper arm length of the drum player.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a music holder for attachment to a snare drum and the like provided with rod or bar means that become a permanent part of the drum structure so that the music holder may be readily carried by these bar or rod means.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a music holder for a drum having bar means that are connected to the usual tension structural members of a drum so that the music holder can be moved circumferentially a predetermined distance of the circumference of the drum, and with vertically adjustable means so that the music holder can be elongated or shortened in a vertical direction or a direction perpendicular to the circumferential movement of the music holder in order to accommodate the proper arm length of the drum players of various height-s.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a music holder for attachment to the side of a drum in order to permit the music holder to be set at various heights, various angles and various pitches as desired, and to enable the music holder to be folded downwardly and out of the way, while it is still permanently attached to the drum shell, so that the music holder can be adjusted to the individual reach distance or the arm length of the drum player While readily permitting the music holder to be moved to a storage position when it is desired to cover the drum with the usual. drum cover so that dirt will not accumulate thereon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a music holder for a drum that can be permanently attached to the outer periphery or surface of the drum shell.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a one-piece stamped member that can be secured to the drum shell for attaching a music holder thereto, which stamped member is not attached or secured to the tension structure members, but preferably adjacent to said tension members, and between them.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a music holder that can be attached or clamped to the threaded screws secured to the drum rim or hoop and the tension members so as to form a portable music holder that may be connected to the drum without requiring any changes to an existing drum.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a music holder for securing to a drum having slotted guide or track means for adjusting the music holder circumferentially of the drum.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a drum upon which is mounted the music holder of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the music holder embodied in the present invention showing it attached to the side of the drum;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the music holder attached to the drum or a view of the music holder shown in FIGURE 2 looking at it from the left side thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the track means or guide means embodied in the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating a modified guide or track means on which the music holder can be moved in a circumferential direction;

FIGURE 6 is a view of a modification of the adjustable rod or bar embodied in the music holder of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a modified embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 8 and 9 are enlarged detail views of the embodiment of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a view taken along line 10-40 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a snare drum consisting of a cylindrical central portion with a skin or plastic or vellum head stretched over each end, one end 14 the top end of which can be readily seen in FIGURE 1. The heads are provided with continuous rims 18 for properly tensioning the heads 14 in a well-known manner. The rims 118 are provided With a plurality of circumferentially spaced horizontal portions 22 disposed therearound as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. The horizontal portions 22 are provided with threaded openings therein and are disposed adjacent the bottom edge of the rims 18 or adjacent the innermost edges of the rims 18. It will also be noted that the horizontal portions 22 extend outwardly in a radial direction from the outer surface of the rims I8 and have extending through the holes therein threaded screw adjustment members 24. The screw members 24 have their other end threaded into structural members 26 atlixed or secured to the periphery of the drum 10.

The structural members 26 are disposed circumferentially of the central portion of the drum 10 as shown in FIGURE 1 and are spaced inwardly of and adjacent the rims 18. The structural members 26 form means for tensioning the drum heads through the rims- 18 in a well-known manner at a desired tautness, so as to properly give the desired musical tone when the drum is played. Members 26 in cross-section as best shown in FIGURE 4 have their inner ends 30 curved or of arcuate configuration so as to properly conform to the outer surface of the drum against which they are secured by bolt members 28. The outer ends 32 of the mem bers 26 are of smaller cross-sectional area than the inner portions 34-, as best seen in FIGURE 4. The members 26 are further provided with the arcuate rims or flanges 36 adjacent their inner ends through which the bolts 28 extend. As shown; in FIGURE 4, the rims 36 of .a pair of members.26 face each other though they may be disposed on opposite sides of the members 26 if desired.

The outwardly extending members 26 are provided with a pair of spaced bars or rods 42 extending therebetween and disposed in a horizontal direction when the. longitudinal or main axis of the drum is in a vertical plane. The members 42 provide a trackway or gui-deway for the music holder for adjusting it in a circumferential direction as hereinafter described. The opposite ends of the bars 42 are secured to the facing sides of the members 26 by any suitable means such as by welding or the like. Since the members 26 are permanently secured to the side of the drum, the members 42 provide a means of permanently securing a music holder to the drum itself, as distinguished firom the use of a separate harness for holding the music or a separate stand for holding the music as commonly used heretofore.

The music holder of the present invention is provided with an elongated adjustable vertical support member 44 provided with a slot disposed centrally thereof. The elongated adjustable support member 44 is adapted to cooperate with the mounting clip 46 for adjustably securing the music holder to the desired position along the members 42.

The clip member 46 is provided with a central fiat section 47 as best seen in FIGURE 2 with two identical curved or bent ribs 4S adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof for mounting the clip onto the bar members 42. The central portion 4'7 when the clip 46 is properly mounted abuts the rear side or face of the adjustable support member 44. A threaded bolt member 52 with a head thereon is provided for extending through the slot 50 and a corresponding aperture in the section 47 so that a butterfly nut 54 may be threaded onto the bolt member 52 to rigidly fix the adjustable support member 44 and the clip 56 onto the bars 42 at any predetermined desired position thereon.

The upper end of the adjustable support member 44 has secured thereto a hollow tube or sleeve member 56 as best seen in FIGURE 2. The sleeve member 56 is secured to the front side of the member 44 and extends a substantial distance above the upper edge of member 44 and has its upper end open to receive therein in a slidable manner an adjustable rod or bar member 58. The lower end of the sleeve member 56 is closed and the upper end is provided with an enlarged head 62 to receive a set screw 60. The overall length of the adjustable rod 58 and the sleeve member 56 can be adjusted or varied as desired by raising or lowering the adjustable rod 58 in the sleeve member 56 and thereafter tightening the set screw once the desired position is obtained. Thus, the utilization of the adjustable rod 58 and the sleeve member 56 allows the two members to form a telescopic relationship with each other to readily adjust the height of the music holder.

The upper end of the adjustable rod 58 is provided with a vertical circular disk 64 as shown in FIGURE 3 provided with a central aperture or opening extending therethrough. A threaded bolt 66 with a head thereon is disposed in the opening in 64 and extends through a similar circular disk 72 on the arm member 68. A butterfiy nut 74 is threaded on the bolt member 66 to properly secure the arm 63 rigidly to the disk 64 and the rod 58 after the arm has been pivotally swung or turned or rotated to the desired position with respect to the rod 58.

As is best seen in FIGURE 6, the arm 68 extends downwardly from its circular disk 72 and has an enlarged lower portion 76. The portion 76 extends between two L-shaped lugs or members 78 secured to the rear side of the sheet music holder plate 70. The arm 68 is preferably secured to the lugs 78 and the lugs 78 are secured to the sheet music holder plate 7t) by screw members or any similar means. The plate 70 is provided with side Walls and a. wall or upturned rim along its lower edge for holding the sheet music thereon. A spring type clip member 89 is provided adjacent the lower end of the plate 76 for holding the music sheet or book against the plate.

Referring to the modification of the track or guide in FIGURE 5, this is substantially the same as that shown in FIGURE 4 except that the opposite ends of the arcuate spaced bars 42 are fixed by any suitable means to U-shaped hollow members 82 having inwardly extending flanges or rims 84 adjacent the inner facing sides thereof and provided with apertures for securing bolt members or the like thereto in order to secure the track or guide to the side of a drum.

Referring to the modification of the invention shown in FIGURE 6, this adjustable rod is substantially similar to the rod 58 except that it has two legs 88 and 90 disposed at right angles to each other. The right angle adjustable rod is used with a bass drum and is inserted into the sleeve 56 just as the rod 58 is so that the music holder will extend above the side of the drum when a bass drum is being played, which bass drum is normally disposed on its side and is carried by the musician.

In operation, when it is desired to adjust the music holder of the present invention, it may be adjusted to dispose it at various heights, and at various angles, and at various pitches so that in effect it forms a music holder that can be universally adjusted. The vertical height of the music holder may be adjusted to dispose the music holder at any desired vertical height with respect to the musician by loosening the butterfly nut 54 and thereafter moving the elongated slotted adjustable support member 44 upwardly or downwardly to the desired setting, after which the nut 54 is tightened to rigidly secure and fix the member 55 at the desired height. It is also apparent that the member 44 may be rotated or turned at an angle with respect to the vertical axis of the drum or the main axis thereof.

With respect to adjustment of the music holder circumferentially of the drum, this is also accomplished by loosening the nut 54 and sliding the clip 46 and the member 44 circumferentially of the drum or to the left or right to the desired position, after which the nut 54 is tightened.

The vertical height of the music holder may also be readily adjusted by loosening the set screw 60 and sliding the rod 58 upwardly or downwardly and the sleeve 56, after which the nut 60 is tightened to give the desired setting. It is also apparent that the rod 58 can be rotated in the sleeve 56 so that the disk 64 and the music holder can be positioned at any pitch or angle with respect to the top of the drum.

The angle of the sheet music holder plate 70 may be properly positioned as desired with respect to the rod 58 by loosening the butterfly nut 74 and rotating the arm 68 and plate '70 about the circular disk 64 and the rod 58 so that it may be set at any desired position. Thereafter, the nut '74 is tightened and the plate is then positioned over the top of the drum as desired and as best seen in FIGURE 2.

When it is desired to fold the music holder into a; storage position so that the drum 10 can be covered by a conventional drum cover member, not shown, the: reverse procedure as hereinabove described is followed That is, the butterfly nut 74 is loosened and the arm 68 and the plate 76 are swung up and over the rod 58 so that the plate 70 is not in alignment with the top of the drum and the plate 70 is in a position so that the rest of the music holder support members can be moved to their storage position. The nut 74 is then tightened and the rod 58 is lowered into its lowermost position within the sleeve member 56 by loosening the set Screw 60, after which the set screw is again tightened to hold it in this position.

Thereafter, the elongated adjustable support member 44 is turned from its vertically upwardly position to its vertically downwardly position by loosening the butterfly nut 54 and turning the member 44 180 after which the butterfly nut 54 is tightened to hold it in this storage position. Thus, the music holder is moved into its storage position and no longer extends beyond the top of the drum so that the drum cover may be placed over the drum as well as over the music holder.

From the present description it is apparent that the present invention provides a compact and sturdy music holder that can be permanently secured to the conventional parts of a drum and will not interfere with the proper playing of the drum.

It is also apparent that the music holder of the present invention provides a music holder that is permanently attached to the drum so that it will not become lost or so that none of the parts thereof will become lost.

The present invention further provides a novel music holder that can be attached to a drum and form an integral part thereof and which can further be made of a plurality of standard parts that do not require special machining processes so that the music holder can be manufactured in an economical manner.

The present invention further provides a music holder that can be shifted or slid circumferentially of the drum as well as adjusted vertically thereof and disposed at various angles and pitches so that the music holder in effect provides a structure which permits a sensitive and universal setting of the music holder.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 7 to 10, it will be noted that the track or guide means consists of a single arcuate horizontal stamped member 51 with 2 its opposite ends bent radially inwardly at 53 toward the drum shell, with reverse bends or bent portions 55, disposed at 180 with respect to the main portion of member 51. The reverse bends or rims 55 are secured to the outer surface of the drum shell by rivets 57 or screws or similar means. It will be noted the overall circumferential length of stamped member 51 is less than the distance between two adjacent structural tension members 26, so there is a space 59 between these two parts.

Member 55 is provided with an elongated horizontal central slot 61 through which extends the threaded bolt 52 for securing the clip 63 thereto 'by nut 54 at any predetermined setting therealon g.

It will also be noted that the vertical sleeve 65 is open at the bottom so that adjustable rod 67 can extend below the bottom of sleeve 65. The rod 65 is provided with a circular disc 69 on its upper end provided with a circular recess or countersink 71 for receiving a rubber circular washer 73 therein. A corresponding disc 75 with a recess 77 therein for receiving washer 73 is provided on the arm 79 of the music holder plate 70 with a threaded member 81 securing these parts together.

Referring to FIGURE 11 this embodiment has the guide member 85 detachably connected to the threaded screws 24, and not to the drum shell nor the tension member 25, as in the other embodiments. The guide member consists of a stamped arcuate horizontal member with spaced horizontal slots 87 at opposite ends. Member 85 is disposed against the rear side of screw members 24 in the space between them and the outer surface of the drum shell. It is also disposed vertically between the bottom of pertions 22 and the top of tension structural members 25. The member 85 is clamped to the screw members 24 by two clip members 46, similar to the clips in FIGURE 1, clamped to the front side of members 24, and disposed in a position so the ribs 48 extend vertically.

Member 85 is provided with a diagonal oiiset portion 89 extending upwardly and outwardly from its middle top edge, and terminates in a central substantially vertical portion 91 having a horizontal slot 93 to receive a threaded nut and bolt member 95 for securing the adjustable merri ber 44 thereto. The provision of the offset portion 89 and vertical portion 91 permits clearance of the drum rim or hoop 18.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the form, location and relative arrangement of the several parts without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a drum with circumferentially spaced structural members for connecting a drum rim thereto, track means extending between said members, a music holder support member slidably mounted on said track means, fastening means for securing said support member at different positions along said track means, adjustable rod means mounted on said support means, adjustable arm means pivotally connected to said rod means, and a sheet music holder member secured to said arm means.

2. In combination, a drum with circumferentially disposed structural members for connecting a drum rim thereto, spaced bar members having their opposite ends secured to said structural members to form a track for a slidable music holder, a slotted adjustable support member and a clip member carried by said bar members for slidable movement thereon, fastening means extending through said clip member and slotted member for fixing said slotted and clip members on said bar members at a predetermined position along said bar members, a sleeve secured to the upper end of said slotted member, a rod having its lower end slidably disposed in said sleeve, set screw means for fixing said rod at predetermined heights in said sleeve for varying the overall length of said sleeve and rod, an elongated arm member having one end piv0tally connected to the upper end of said rod, and a sheet music holder member secured to the other end of said arm member.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said slotted member is fastened to said bar member to permit swinging of the slotted member through at least degrees.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said rod is positioned in said sleeve to permit relative rotation of said rod with respect to said sleeve.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said rod and arm are provided with complementary disc members with aligned openings therein, and a bolt with a nut thereon extends through said openings to pivotally and fixedly connect them together.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said clip consists of .a central section with spaced parallel ribs there- 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said clip is disposed on the side of said bar members facing the side of said drum and said slotted member is disposed on the opposite side of said bar members.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said sleeve is offset to one side of said slotted member and away from the side of said drum.

9. The combination of claim 2 wherein said structural members have a cross sectional configuration that is tapered inwardly in a direction extending outwardly from the side of said drum with arcuate inner surfaces for positioning against the side of the drum.

10. The combination of claim 2 wherein said structural members, are substantially U-shape in cross section and have their bight facing toward the side of said drum.

11. A music holder for attachment to the side of a drum comprising spaced structural members, spaced bars having their opposite ends secured to said structural members, a fiat elongated slotted support member disposed on one side of said bars and a clip member on the opposite side of said bars, said slotted member and clip member being mounted on said bars for slidable movement therealong, fastening means for fixedly securing said slotted and clip members at a predetermined position along the bars, a sleeve secured to one end of said slotted member, a rod extending into said sleeve and slida'bly disposed therein, means for fixedly securing said rod in sleeve at a predetermined position therein, and a music holding arm means pivotally connected to the end of said rod extending outside said sleeve.

12. The holder of claim 11 wherein said rod and arm means are provided with disc members and are pivotally connected together by bolt and nut means.

13. The holder of claim 11 wherein said slotted memher is positioned on said bars to permit it to be swung at least through 180 degrees.

14. The holder of claim 11 wherein structural members have a cross sectional configuration progressively diminishing in an outwardly extending direction.

15. The holder of claim 14 wherein said clip has ribs disposed adjacent its opposite edges of a configuration to straddle said bars.

16. In combination, a drum comprising a cylindrical shell with hoops and drum heads adjacent the top and bottom thereof, and guide means for securing a music holder thereto including a stamped arcuate member with its opposite ends secured to said shell, said guide means having an elongated slot therein, and music holder carrier means detachably connected to said slot for predetermined circumferential adjustment along said slot.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said music carrier means includes an adjustable vertical slotted support member with a sleeve secured thereto, said sleeve being open at its opposite ends, and an adjustable rod detachably secured within said sleeve.

18. In combination, a drum comprising a cylindrical shell with hoops and drum heads adjacent the top and bottom thereof, and guide means for securing a music holder thereto including a stamped arcuate member, spaced structural tension members adjacent one of said hoops, spaced threaded members secured to said one hoop and said spaced structural members, and means detachably securing said stamped arcuate member to said spaced threaded member.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein said stamped member is provided with spaced slots at its opposite ends through which said means detachably securing said stamped member extend.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein said stamped member is provided with an offset portion and a vertical portion with a slot therein, music holder means are secured to said vertical portion slot and include a sleeve and rod, a circular disc is disposed on said rod, and has a recess therein for receiving a rubber washer to secure a music holder plate thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 298,726 5/1884 Burt 248443 1,037,140 8/1912 French 248l57 1,253,567 1/1918 Bartlett 248-457 1,446,352 2/1923 Priest 248-257 2,834,244 5/1958 Willits 8441l 3,106,425 10/1963 McClintock 297436 FOREIGN PATENTS 713,378 8/1954 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

I. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A DRUM WITH CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED STRUCTURAL MEMBERS FOR CONNECTING A DRUM RIM THERETO, TRACK MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS, A MUSIC HOLDER SUPPORT MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRACK MEANS, FASTENING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AT DIFFERENT POSITIONS ALONG SAID TRACK MEANS, ADJUSTABLE ROD MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, ADJUSTABLE ARM MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID ROD MEANS, AND A SHEET MUSIC HOLDER MEMBER SECURED TO SAID ARM MEANS. 